And…. we’re back!

What better way to come back from the holidays than to find out this month’s Wicked Wine picks? I figure it’s worth celebrating the end of 2009 with some truly wonderful selections you can snuggle up to on the coldest nights of the winter. Pop on over to Wicked Local to see what I have up my sleeve!

Does your New Years resolution have anything to do with wine? If so, what have you decided to pursue in 2010?

I hope you and yours had a wonderful time popping a cork or two last Saturday night for Open That Bottle Night. For my part, a handful of my closest friends descended on my place for a wonderful meal of braised paprika chicken, orzo and lemon-garlic asparagus.

We started with an appetizer of oysters, a small aperitif of exceptional Dolin Dry Vermouth and a glass of white Bordeaux (’06 Ch. le Tucau, Graves). Then with dinner we moved on to our “serious” wines – those we had been saving for whatever special occasion had yet to materialize. I wasn’t exactly sure what my bottle of Spanish wine from Terra Alta, Spain would bring – but I had high hopes, too. This isn’t a region you often see here in the States; my bottle was actually hand-carried back from Barcelona by my best friend after her wedding there.

The Terra Alta D.O. boasts only 28 vineyards. The region is characterized by its Mediterranean & Continental climate (very cold winters, very hot summers), steep slopes and valley floors, and its proximity to its better known neighbor, Priorat. The cierzo breezes from the northeast do their part to keep the grapes dry, preventing rot. Terra Alta is considered an up and coming region, with many winemakers experimenting with better known grape varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, which have been permitted since 1995. More often you’ll find native grapes Garnacha Tinta and Carinena as well as Garnacha Peluda and Morenillo, as far as the reds go.

Doing my best to navigate the Catalan description on the back of the bottle, I anticipated the Ede Aria 2003 would be a big boy, with need of decanting.  The wine was a blend of three grapes: Garnacha Peluda (40%), Syrah (35%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (25%). My inspiration for the paprika braised chicken was distinct from the wine I knew I would have on offer, so decanting was a priority to soften any rough edges and remove the sediment the wine was likely to throw. Since I know my friend prefers fruit-forward wines to uber-dry ones, I hoped this wine would deliver a nice silky mouthfeel, with both red and black fruits apparent. Finally, given the region’s proximity to the Priorat, I hoped it would have a gentle herbaceousness and a touch of earthy leather. I was pleased to discover it delivered on all of the above!

The other two wines we opened Saturday night were the 2004 Stevenot Tempranillo (Sierra Foothills, California) and the 2004 Villa Antinori Toscana (Tuscany, Italy).

Yes, Saturday evening I traveled the world with my friends! It was a pleasure to do so.

What wine(s) did you open for OTBN? Any highlights or disappointments in the mix?

Italian wine production is much like its history and tradition: dynamic, rich and… complicated. Despite this sometimes intimidating complexity (in terms of wine laws, in particular) every time I pick up a bottle from the Tuscan region  I am transported to clarity. Tuscan wines are a consistent articulation of what I appreciate most about good wine; they are a liquid language, translating a uniquely local art, history and culture. The wines are fulfillingly layered with flavor, quenching your thirst for what it is you really seek: pure pleasure.

Brunello di Montalcino is one Italian wine Americans have sought with great gusto. Something like 1 in 3 bottles comes to the US.  So many of you might already know that Brunello isn’t a grape, and it isn’t a region. In fact, it is just the name for these marvelously bright and fruity, yet rich and broodingly elegant wines made from the Sangiovese Grosso grape clone. This clone is specific to Montalcino, a village about 70 miles southwest of Florence, in the Tuscan wine region;  the wine’s name translates simply as Brunello of Montalcino.  By law the wines are aged for a minimum of 2 years in oak and 4 months in bottle before they are released. They are serious wines; like the great Bordeaux’s and Burgundy’s of France, age works in its favor, delivering its greatest gifts only after a decade… or more.

With great wines (and particularly those that are aged for some time) often comes some  expense. It’s a real challenge to find good Brunello for under $25-30. Enter Rosso di Montalcino! This is a wine alternative to Brunello. It is also made from 100% Sangiovese Grosso, but is made from younger vines and is only aged for a minimum of 6 months in oak and only held 1 year total before release. It is a more approachable style for consumers that allows Brunello producers some cash flow, while they wait for their Brunello’s to age.  And it costs consumers 1/3 – 1/2 the price of a Brunello. This is a little something we like to call a “Win-Win”! I’m all for them.

I had the pleasure of tasting the 2002 Marchesi Cattaneo Rosso di Montalcino last fall, but just recently sought it out as one of my winter warmer wines. Minestrone soup was on the menu and I wanted something food-friendly that would warm me up and offer a fun escape from my day. The Marchesi was a no-brainer.  My friend came over and we popped the cork. And boy, did it deliver! It had an enticing and telling nose, delivering sweet black cherry and raspberry fruit, a dash of dried herbs, a bouquet of violets and a welcome touch of chocolate. Lush… mouthwatering… goodness! I couldn’t have been happier – or more fulfilled on a cold night in Beantown.

Which Rosso di Montalcino warms your heart these days?